A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Kurt's Dorm
by It'sNotEasyBeingQueen
Summary: Kurt will never forget what Blaine was wearing the first time they met. AU first meeting. College!Klaine.


**A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Kurt's Dorm**

Kurt liked using the dance studio at night. It was much easier to schedule time, as it seemed all other students felt the need to do their rehearsals first thing in the morning. Kurt appreciated the calmness of the darkened room, unaffected by stray glints of sunlight crossing his vision at inopportune moments or noises from the adjacent studios which were just the wrong side of soundproof.

No, there was nothing like dancing through the shadows cast by the couple of small lamps he turned on their lowest settings, feeling his way across the wide open room and allowing himself to focus on the sensation of the movement. It was hard work, and necessary rehearsal, of course, but also his own personal form of mediation.

Having finished his evening routine, Kurt headed back to his dorm. He rarely ran into too many fellow students, most either being out for the night or in for the night. It was nice to have a quick, unobstructed trip back to his dorm, where his shower and his bed awaited.

All of this is to say that Kurt had no expectation of seeing someone leaning against the wall as he turned the final corner towards his room. He nearly bumped into the person, but caught himself in time.

"I'm so sor…oh my god, you're naked!" Kurt blurted out, stumbling backwards in shock and shielding his eyes with his hand.

Sure enough, before him stood a young man, casually standing with his back to the wall. He had his arms folded in front of his chest and one foot crossed over the other, and was wearing nothing but a wristwatch and a smile.

"Hey," Naked Man said with a nod.

Kurt couldn't figure out where to look. He knew where he _wanted_ to look, because that initial glimpse had been enough to notice that the man was handsome and very nicely built. But no, Kurt wasn't going to be a pervert leering at the naked man in the hallway. Wait a minute. Why was this guy naked in the hallway, anyway?

"Um, are…are you," Kurt stammered, glancing tentatively back in the direction of Naked Man and, by tilting his head just so and holding out a hand in front of him, blocking everything from the waist down, "…are you okay? I mean, do you need help or something?" A thousand worst-case scenarios ran through his head – everything from the possibility that this guy was on something to him being the victim of some type of attack. Kurt wasn't one to turn his back on someone in need of help.

"What? Oh," the man chuckled lightly, "no, no. Nothing like that. I'm just, you know, hangin' out."

 _Oh, no he didn't._

Kurt dropped his arms in disbelief, instantly raising one back up when he realized he had an unobstructed view. "So you're simply insane and have a lousy sense of humor, then?" Kurt replied.

"Something like that, I suppose," Naked Man muttered, shaking his head and huffing out a laugh. He colored slightly, and Kurt warmed towards him. Maybe he wasn't such a smartass jerk. In any event, Kurt's curiosity was piqued, and he had to know more.

"Okay, so tell me," he continued, shifting his dance bag on his shoulder and readjusting his hand to keep his view PG. "Why in the world are you standing out here with no clothes on at this hour? Get kicked out by your girlfriend or something?"

Naked Man smirked. "Well, first of all, it would have to be _boyfriend_." Kurt felt his cheeks pink at the declaration. "But no, I didn't get kicked out. It's kind of a long story – you might have to give up the privacy shield or your arm is going to fall off," he quipped, waving a finger in the general direction of Kurt's outstretched hand.

Kurt took a long moment to stare at Naked Man. (He really needed to get this guy's name, because that moniker was getting old already.) Dark hair curled around his face, one or two stray curls teasing across his forehead above ridiculously cute eyebrows. He had incredible golden-hazel eyes and a perfect mouth that Kurt fleetingly thought about kissing into oblivion. His arms and torso were toned, but not overly muscular – exactly the way Kurt liked. Beyond that? Well, Kurt refused to let his gaze wander that far.

For reasons he couldn't entirely explain, Kurt really wanted to hear this story. However, if this guy thought Kurt was going to indulge his exhibitionist tendencies, he had another thing coming.

Kurt stepped forward, dropping his bag to the floor and turning to lean back against the wall next to Naked Man. From this angle, he could see his clothing-free companion's face and not be distracted, since most of his body would be out of the focus of his peripheral vision.

"I'm Kurt," he said, offering his hand.

"Blaine," the other responded, taking Kurt's hand and shaking it.

Kurt felt a cliché tingle in his hand at the touch, and suddenly became very aware of the fact that he was in his post-dance outfit of yoga pants and an off-the-shoulder sweatshirt. He ran his free hand through his hair, which had fallen during the course of his rehearsal. "Geez, I'm a mess," he said under his breath.

"Uh, Kurt?" Blaine interjected, waving a hand towards himself. "Don't really think you need to worry about appearances right now. Besides," he added softly, "I think you look gorgeous."

Kurt glanced down (and away to avoid seeing anything) demurely at the compliment, and reluctantly released Blaine's hand. "So, Blaine," Kurt began, enjoying the sound of saying that name, "what brings you to A-5 at this hour of night in your Emperor's New Clothes costume?"

Blaine smiled broadly. "You're funny. I like that." Kurt didn't reply other than to incline his head as an encouragement for Blaine to tell his story. "Right," Blaine acquiesced. He let out a breath and seemed to sink a little into the wall. "So my roommate, Jeff, and his boyfriend, Nick, were talking about all the crazy stuff they and some of their friends have done with their fraternities. Nothing they were forced to do. This wasn't hazing or anything like that," he added hastily. When Kurt nodded, he continued.

"Anyway, they started telling me it was good I'd never joined a frat because I'd never have had the nerve to do what they'd done. A couple of beers and way too many rounds of what was essentially 'Oh, yeah?' and I found myself stripping down and challenging them by saying I'd stand out here for half an hour stark naked just to prove I am as brave as they are."

"You mean as _dumb_ as they are."

"Exactly," Blaine conceded.

"So, how long has it been?"

Blaine looked down at his watch. Kurt very purposefully did not follow his gaze.

"Fourteen minutes," Blaine sighed.

"Having second thoughts?" Kurt asked, not hiding his amusement very well at all.

"Yes and no," Blaine admitted. "Yes, because, I feel entirely ridiculous standing in this hallway, which is much chillier than I thought it would be."

Kurt resisted the urge to glance down and make a joke about how chilly it was. "And 'no' because…?"

Blaine smiled, but differently this time. Kurt's breath caught in his throat as he beheld what had to be the most genuine, warm, kind smile he'd ever seen. Blaine's voice changed slightly, too, dropping lower and becoming soft. "No, because if I hadn't made this stupid bet, I never would have been in the hallway when you walked by, and I wouldn't be standing here talking to you right now."

Had those words been spoken by anyone else, Kurt would have dismissed them as a cheesy line. However, coming from Blaine, with an expression of pure sincerity on his face, Kurt believed him. He smiled back and noted the spark of joy in the other man's eyes at the sight.

Both boys blushed and looked away. Kurt shuffled a fraction closer to Blaine under the guise of trying to get more comfortable. They still weren't touching, but being nearer to Blaine felt better.

"So, does this new one-man clothing-free fraternity of yours have a name?" he asked quietly into the awkward pause.

"Phi Theta Liza," Blaine tossed back immediately, earning an indelicate snort from Kurt. Blaine bumped his shoulder against Kurt's teasingly, and the two broke into a fit of laughter.

*About fifteen minutes later*

"Okay, Blainey boy. You proved your…whoa," Jeff called out as he swung open the dorm room door. He fully expected to see his roommate parked in the hallway where he'd left him half an hour earlier. He did not expect him to have company. Naked company.

"Hey, Jeffie. I picked up a new recruit," he chirped, patting the arm of the tall, lithe, very attractive young man next to him.

"Hi," Kurt said coyly, wiggling his fingers in a little wave before crossing his arms over his chest to mirror Blaine's stance.

Jeff's mouth hung open. "Well I'll be damned," he grumbled.

Jeff and Nick never teased Blaine about not being in a fraternity after that night. Blaine won the bet, and split the $100 prize with Kurt.

Kurt and Blaine began dating the next day. Having mutually decided to take things slowly, they didn't see each other naked again for two months. When they did, it was _not_ in the dorm hallway, and Kurt made sure _nothing_ blocked his view.

 _A/N: Roxymusicandlayers knows why I wrote this._


End file.
